Thou Shall Confess
"Thou Shall Confess" is the 1st episode of Desperate Schoolboys: Missing Pieces. 'Plot' Henry Strange walks through the church in his and Mary's old hometown, entering a confessional and sitting down, beginning with the sign of the cross. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. It has been one week since my last confession. I am guilty of the deadly sin of lust... I... I have repented for forgiveness... and I have asked the Lord for his guidance. But... but... I don't know if I am strong enough. On every street corner there is a sin or temptation, waiting to corrupt my soul... and I don't know what to do. I fear for my daughter... I fear she will be strayed... all I want is her salvation. But am I a strong enough man to protect her from the sins of this world...?" Flash of a young Henry Strange sitting across from his father, a priest with a cross necklace hanging from his neck and a bible in his hand. Flash of small Henry going to church with his father. Flash of small Henry and his father saying grace before a meal. Flash of small Henry, kneeling down by his bed and praying one night. Flash of a dark night, outside a bar, some drunken men and women exit, before proceeding to look for somewhere more private. The camera pans to reveal Gerard and a little Henry, by his side, standing at the other side of the street in the dark. "Look at these people. The devil has tempted them into sinning. And Henry, elsewhere in this world, there are demons waiting to prey on you too," Gerard says. "I will not let them, father," Henry promises his father. "You never fall into their trap. You must offer your life, all your desires, to God. The path of righteousness is that which he has chosen for you, and you must not stray from it. You must not dirty yourself. You must stay pure," Gerard finishes. "I will, father," Henry promises again. Gerard and Henry are walking down the street together, when a pretty girl passes them. Henry turns his head to admire her; however, he looks up to see Gerard staring down at him. We cut to Gerard dragging Henry to his room, throwing the small boy to the floor and saying, "I saw you... I saw you... and the Lord did too. He sees every time we sin, Henry! You can't give into it!" The small Henry cowers in the corner, as his father proceeds to take off his belt and then begins whipping him, brining the belt down over and over. The angry man screams with every whip, "Repent, Henry! REPENT!" Henry, now a young man at college, is alone in his dorm room, with his top off and a whip in his hand. He whips his own back forcefully, again and again, throwing the whip over the back of his shoulder, gaining more and more scars. Flash of Henry Strange sitting alone in his dorm on a Saturday night, sitting at his desk and reading from the Bible as he tries to hold back the tears which are forming at his eyes. Henry Strange, now a successful but lonely chiropractor, is at his Bible study meeting, standing before the group, reciting and analyzing a verse with passion in his voice and eyes, until he stops and his eyes lock with those from a woman staring back at him. The two smile. Henry and the woman, Aurora, now his wife, are sitting across from each other at a restaurant, both looking very happy. They lean forward and kiss. Aurora, a shy and nervous woman, looks down and asks with a gentle smile, "Do you love me?" Henry smiles, "Yes! A thousand times, yes!" "How much?" the woman asks sweetly, suddenly with a more confident smile. Henry says without hesitation, "To the very depths of my soul! With enough fire to shake the Earth, to scorch the Heavens and to reduce the pits of Hell to ash!" Henry looks at a picture of his deceased wife with longing eyes as a young Mary enters and looks at her saddened father. She comforts, "Mother is still with us, isn't she, father?" Henry looks up at his daughter and he signals for her to come and sit on his lap, and she does so, before he agrees, "Yes, my princess. Mother is an angel now. And she will always be with us." Mary smiles and wraps her arms around her father tight, tears forming at her eyes, as he hugs her back. Back in present day, Henry is still sitting the confessional. He suddenly stands, shaking with distress, as he concludes, speaking to himself, "No, it's not my fault. These... these desires are not my fault... they are tests of Lucifer. Protect me, Lord; don't let these sirens destroy my soul. Give me the strength to purify these streets... give me the strength to protect my daughter from sin... help me, Lord, to ensure Mary's salvation." We cut to Henry exiting the confessional, and then the church. He continues walking down the street, with his new decision to protect himself and Mary from sin as well as cleanse the street. He keeps walking until he is stopped by a woman, a prostitute; he glances at her and thinks. We then cut to him atop her, strangling her until her squirming ceases. He then gets off her, looking down at the deceased girl on the floor. He stares down at her, trembling, but then he grabs hold of the cross which is hanging from his neck, and closes his eyes to pray, certain that he has done what is right, "The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life..." Category:Missing Pieces Category:Episodes